68-year-old cyclist tests positive for testosterone

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Gérard-Louis Robert, a 68-years-old highly decorated masters cyclist, received a sanction of eight years for a second anti-doping rule violation.

The cyclist’s urine sample, collected during in-competition doping control on August 27, 2016, revealed the presence of testosterone.

In response, Robert requested a hearing to determine the violation and whether the sanction period should be eliminated or reduced. On March 22, 2017, Arbitrator Patrice Brunet confirmed the violation and imposed a sanction of four years ineligibility from sport, which was subsequently appealed.

During the appeal, the Union Cycliste Internationale provided information to the CCES confirming that the athlete had a previous anti-doping rule violation from 2009. As a result, the CCES amended its original notification and proposed an eight-year period of ineligibility for the second anti-doping rule violation.

In response, Robert abandoned the appeal and accepted the sanction. Since he agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension on October 11, 2016, his sanction will conclude October 10, 2024.

Robert, a resident of Montreal, Quebec, has a long list of successes in cycling. Since 1970, he was 1007 titles to his name. He has won 24 world championship titles, 21 Canadian national titles and 24 French national titles.